Welcome to a New Year! We begin the year ready to detach from the past and free ourselves from those painful memories and fear of the future. This is an exciting year—one filled with great discoveries and opportunity. In Vedic astrology, Jupiter is now in Aquarius. This happens every 12 years. In India myth and faith promise that there are 42 days that begin January 14th and go until April 28th. During this time, if you bathe in the waters of the Ganges river, you will be liberated from your karmas and reason or need to reincarnate to this life. There is a festival in Hardiwar this year that boasts that 50 to 100 million faithful will participate. They believe that during this time the river’s waters are turned into the nectar of immortality. It is called Kumbh (Jupiter) Mela (human fair).

While most of us cannot even imagine what it might be like to bathe in a river, much less with tens of millions of others in one city, we can imagine the longing for freedom: liberation from the pain that is a part of life. During this time, we can in spirit imagine that we are all one. We can drop our protective armor; and be freed from the fear of the future in this life and beyond. Once we experience that level of liberation, perhaps we can carry it through to the rest of our days. It’s a generous thought and Jupiter is by nature generous. Let us hold this image as we move through the Winter of 2010.

Jupiter in Aquarius: Jupiter is moving quickly through the heavens. He moves through 2 lunar mansions this season. The first is Dhanishta: “a circle of women dancing and drumming.” It’s a great place for drumming up business and promises the economy will continue to grow. Then on January 21st, the Winter Solstice, he enters Shatibishik: “An old man carrying a bundle of roots.” Jupiter loves to teach and learn. This mansion is great for medical discoveries. Watch for news about medicinal roots or herbs through the year and particularly this season. Jupiter will leave Aquarius the first time on May 1st. For now, folks with planets in Aquarius get a collective boost. Call it a bath of insight and hope of liberation from the painful thoughts or desires that keep us separate.

Retrograde Mars: Mars appears to move backward from December 20, 2009 until March 10, 2010. Imagine that something that irritates you sits on you. It’s almost impossible to ignore hives or a headache or anger or the desire to serve. It is a delicate place for our nation’s leaders. This Mars tells me that the President was sincere when he said that there is a threat and need to send more troops. However, it also tells me that each of us, who have planets in Cancer where Mars lingers until the end of May, are also being called to weigh and assess threats. We are asked to make wise decisions and to stand up when that is right, while we review our personal desire in the face of something greater than self. Whew! You already feel the inner push, but it will take months before it is fully visible. Retrograde Mars is often difficult for business. Folks don’t want to act unless they are certain they are doing the right thing, but it is good for digging deep and pushing something valuable to success. Will it move through you or come at you? It’s hard to tell. The best I can offer is to be alert to what surrounds you. Don’t drive and talk. Notice your anger: what are the key words at the core of your righteous anger? Perhaps you feel trapped or unfairly judged or simply stymied by life. Any action can help dissipate the pressure. When Mars moves backward you may hear from a man from your past. No matter, you’ll think back and learn from men you knew then.

January 2010: We begin the year with a lunar eclipse on New Years Eve. We embrace the New Year open and sincere. During an eclipse, the eclipse path known as Rahu, the dragon’s head or Ketu, the dragon’s tail, appears to swallow the Moon or Sun like a giant serpent. Then the luminary is reborn. With the Moon, it is a rebirth of perception and emotion. The eclipse comes with the Moon in the mansion Punarvasu: A return to the light. The Sun opposing the Moon falls in a mansion that deals goading or prodding the soul to right action. Remember, a lunar eclipse always comes on a Full Moon. Then there is a Total Solar Eclipse on the 15th. The solar eclipse always falls on a New Moon. Here, the eclipse path known as Rahu swallows the light of the Sun. It is visible from central Africa through the Middle East, India and into China. Watch the news for these areas. The gift of this eclipse comes through understanding the lunar mansion where it falls: the mansion is Utar Ashada. It deals with universal virtues. Perhaps we can bathe in the gifts of tolerance. Perhaps we can liberate our hearts and minds from the judgment that any god or goddess is right for all.

We begin the year and month with a cluster of planets in Sagittarius. Venus and the Sun are traveling together. This helps optimism and may indeed be egotism. Mercury appears to move backward “retrograde” until the 15th. Right on time with the Solar Eclipse, we slow our thoughts and redirect them. We and our money embrace the beginning of a new decade. Ghosts of last January visit investors and they are tentative….for a while. The eclipse at mid-month stirs action in Africa, the Middle East and China. Money moves there and the defense budget gets a boost. Expect defense contracts as well as more economic stimulus: This time, it actually stimulates the economy. Romance is in the air from mid month on. Venus faces Mars in the heavens. The urge to merge and for mergers of all kinds is strong.

February: The money begins to flow. Mercury, the business planet, crosses Rahu or the eclipse path. We could lose our heads to desires. Most likely the desires stimulate risk and the push is on to move the giant shark of capitalism forward. Venus joins Jupiter in Aquarius. The desire to love is strong and insight into the joy of love and faith is even stronger. Think of the tens of millions of faithful washing away the pain of attachment: the pain of life. Does that mean that they are ready to die? Perhaps it simply means that they are ready to ascend from the pain and feel the “good stuff” of love and divine guidance. Perhaps it is the freedom to trust in something greater than greed or fear. Perhaps it is simply the Age of Aquarius revisited now. Do you have faith in human kindness? Will you trust the love you receive and are you willing to give it? It may not be the ’60s revisited, but the concept is the same. What is at the root of love and faith for you? It’s all about getting to the core piece of faith in divine justice, synchronicity and universal love. Could you love one of “those” people? No better time than Valentine’s Day this year to reach out. I expect plenty of new relationships and businesses to begin this month. Are you ready to wash away fear and past pain to try again? We are all granted the gift of amriti: the nectar of immortality and it is fed with divine faith and love…even with “those” people at the party.

March: The month begins with the Sun crossing Jupiter. Think of the Sun as life-force energy. Jupiter is moving quickly now. Jupiter is the great guru or teacher. Notice what you learn about life-force during the first days of the month. Put it on your calendar so you won’t forget. On the 3rd, Venus crosses Uranus, the planet of excitement, unpredictability and the subtle energy body. This is a great day to start something new or simply embrace a different perspective. Take note of what you feel during the first days of this month. When Jupiter crosses Uranus in May and June, we receive a healing gift. I don’t know what it will look like for you; but expect it to be delivered to every soul open. The lunar mansion where this happens is literally called the former happy feet! What made you happy when you were young? Can you dance or walk or skip or slide? This mansion is very busy for the first half of March. Venus is exalted from the 3rd through the end of the month. This is a great time to give and receive. It should bolster romance and the economy. Mars goes direct on the 10th: passion is ready to roar. Venus is stronger so the feminine force is a bit more daring than the masculine, but as Mars starts moving forward, men are catching up and reaching for the phone to call.

Exalted Venus is content and grateful. She sees beauty in what is and finds compassion for others. She isn’t foolish or indulgent. Rather, she feels the sort of connection that comes when you meet others with your heart daringly open. It’s a little gift of grace. Will you reach for it? Remember, hundreds of millions of Hindu faithful believe that the nectar of immortality flows through the Ganges. Perhaps it flows through the river of our faith in humanity’s ability to reach beyond for greatness. What we leave behind is our own immortality. What will you leave? During March the Sun, Moon Venus and Mercury will all face Saturn, the reality planet. We feel divine and anchor that experience into the tangible world. As they also trigger Pluto, we have the gift of transformation and the possibility of destruction. Don’t underestimate the power of greed and violence, but don’t focus so intently upon them that you miss the gift of love in the midst of the pain of mortality. Whew! Big stuff and a great party!

President Obama: Mars, the planet of action and aggression, begins the year on his point of open enemies. It will finally move backward, but continue to trigger him intensely. He is losing patience and his open enemies are many. The most open and most deceptive at once are the Taliban. I believe him when he states that he has good reason to increase troops in Afghanistan and I am truly grateful for the brave men and women who serve. Mars is the troops! Expect to see more of our Commander and Chief interacting with them this year. Expect the weight of casualties to sit heavily on his heart. The enemy will blame him for their violent acts.

Mars is moving backward, but this transit heightens the President’s desire for action: He wants to get it done. The house of open enemies is also the house of partnerships! I do not see anything in the First Lady’s chart to indicate difficulty. In fact, she is likely to have good press and plenty of opportunities to reach out and teach others. I expect to see more of her…and to like her more. She is coming out of the bubble and into her own strength. And this woman was born with a powerful Mars of her own. She is bossy and passionate and impatient and playful and wants to do something memorable. Watch her role grow this season. But there are other “partnerships” for the President not so favorable. There are changes in his staff and his Chief of Staff Emanuel may push the limits of trust and ego. Neptune triggers his chart, so we won’t “see” it clearly, but The President is likely already alert…at least he should be careful of an ego this enormous. May he bathe in the collective river of consciousness: May the President and we see who is wise counsel and who ties us to the pain of impossible decisions and treacherous partners.